


Negotiations

by Sohotthateveryonedied



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Keith & Shiro (Voltron) are Siblings, Keith is a brat, M/M, marriage proposals
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-29
Updated: 2018-12-29
Packaged: 2019-09-30 03:26:01
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,507
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17216120
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sohotthateveryonedied/pseuds/Sohotthateveryonedied
Summary: Adam knows that if he wants to finally propose to Shiro, he must first face an even greater challenge:Getting Keith's permission.As it turns out, there is nothing in the world more difficult than convincing a stubborn kid to let you marry his brother.





	Negotiations

**Author's Note:**

> I wrote and posted this in only four hours, aren't you proud? 
> 
> I got the idea from some headcanons I sent to Julie once after watching a wedding ring commercial. Also I've been super restless lately from sitting around all day with no schoolwork and no active writing projects to do, hence why I had to do this and get all that energy out.

On a scale from one to ten, Adam would rate himself a solid eight and a half when it comes to good ideas. Nine if the good idea in question includes Takashi, which this one does. It’s foolproof. 

He can’t help but give himself a mental pat on the back as he watches his third favorite cat mug, filled to the brim with lactose-free milk, rotate sluggishly in the microwave. 

He and Takashi have discussed it before, of course. Not so plainly as making solid plans, but there have been more than a handful of times in which the pair would sit together on the Garrison roof, dreaming about their future together as though they were children enthralled in a fantasy. 

Go ahead and call Adam the blue fairy, because he’s about to make those fantasies come true. Starting with one _very_ important question. 

…Well, _two_ very important questions. Both gateways to the same golden chalice. 

There is not a single doubt in Adam’s mind that if he goes and proposes to Takashi without consulting the demon spawn first, there will be hell to pay. The kid will find some way to sabotage the engagement, he just knows it. So why not humor him a little? Make him think he has some power in the decision so it’ll be easier for Adam in the long run.

Ah, the old proverb. _If you want to marry the booty, you must first seek permission from the booty’s bloodthirsty adopted brother._

And Adam _really_ wants to marry the booty. 

When the microwave beeps, Adam takes out the mug and stirs in the chemically-tasting hot cocoa mix. After a second thought, he shrugs and drops in an extra handful of marshmallows. Can’t hurt to soften up the little demon first, right? 

The ring box weighs heavily in his pocket as he carries the cocoa to the kitchen table where Keith sits, ever-present pout on his face and arms crossed. The twelve-year-old eyes Adam cautiously, making no move toward the cocoa when it’s set in front of him. Adam nudges it an inch closer in offering.

Keith just stares at him, waiting for him to say something. Okay, he supposes. Time to rip off the band-aid. 

But before Adam can even open his mouth, Keith breaks the silence. “Am I being sent away again?” 

_Record scratch._

“Wait, what?” 

Keith’s stony expression is unchanging. “Shiro isn’t here, and you’re being nice to me. Is he sending me back and just doesn’t want to be the one to tell me?” He glares down at the tabletop while his fingers pick at the frayed rip in his jeans. 

Adam’s pretty sure this conversation just flew in the complete opposite direction and slammed into a wall. “Uh, no? Why would you assume the only reason I’m being nice to you is if we’re kicking you out?” 

Keith shrugs, but Adam can already see him retreating back into his shell. His shoulders tense up and he bites his lip. 

Adam panics. _Shit, shit, fuck, the kid’s upset now, fuck—_

He holds up his hands non-threateningly. “Keith, I swear this is a friendly meeting. Nobody is sending you away. I have some good news, actually. Well…sort of. More of a good question.”

Keith’s shoulders drop a fraction, and Adam can see his features relax somewhat. “Oh.” His lips purse, still cautious. “…What is it?”

_Finally._ Moment of truth time. Adam sits up straighter in his chair. “I have something I’d like to run by you, if that’s okay. It’s about Takashi.” 

Keith’s eyes narrow. “Are you breaking up with him?” 

“What? _No—”_

“Because I have a machete under my bed for this exact moment, you know.” 

Adam blinks, his next words dying in his throat. “You…have a machete.” 

Keith shrugs. “Found it at a yard sale.” 

_“What the fuck,”_ Adam whispers softly. Where did Takashi _find_ this kid? He shakes his head. “I’m not breaking up with Takashi.” Keith remains silent, staring expectantly at him, and Adam guesses he’s waiting for him to keep talking. “So, you know Takashi and I have been dating for a long time, right?”

“Tragically.”

Yeesh. “Um. Okay.” He folds his hands on the table, and Keith mimics the action. “Anyway, it’s been a few years, and I can honestly say that I love him more than anything. And I know we already took a pretty big step in our relationship when I moved in with you guys, but I think it’s time for another big step.” 

He reaches into his pocket and pulls out the ring box. He places it on the table between himself and Keith. “So…I was thinking of asking for your permission to ask Takashi to marry me?” 

Boom. Bomb dropped. And the crowd goes wild. 

Keith frowns at the ring box, big purple eyes staring so intently that Adam squirms in his seat. The kid doesn’t say anything at first. His head cocks to the side like he’s actually considering it. Seconds tick by as Adam waits with bated breath for the verdict. 

After a while, Keith reaches for the mug and takes a sip of hot chocolate. When he finishes, he sets the drink back down and smiles politely. 

“No.” 

Adam waits, hoping he heard wrong. “…No?” 

Keith nods. “No. I said no. You can’t ask Shiro to marry you.” He starts to get up. “Thanks for asking me, though. I appreciate it.” 

Adam never imagined the day would come when he would have to physically restrain himself from throwing hands with an infant, but here we are. He grabs Keith’s arm and forces him to sit down again. Keith sits, but he jerks his arm away and wipes off the spot where Adam touched him. Rude.

“Now hang on for just one second,” Adam says. “What do you mean, _no?”_

“I mean no.”

“Like… _no,_ no?”

“Yes.” 

“But…you can’t just say _no!”_ he protests. 

Keith plucks a marshmallow from the lip of his mug, playing with the stickiness between his fingers. “Yes I can. You asked me and I said no. It’s pretty simple.” 

“But why?” Up until this moment, Adam thought he was a pretty charming individual. Nerdy hot, like Takashi calls him. A great choice for a future brother-in-law/adoptive stepfather. 

“It’s bad enough you live in my house,” Keith says. “Shiro’s _my_ dumb brother. Go get your own.” 

Adam’s jaw drops. _“That’s_ what this is about? You don’t want to share Takashi with me?” What is this, an auction? 

Keith crosses his arms, unwavering. “I was here first.”

Adam rolls his eyes. “You can’t call dibs on a _person,_ Keith.” 

“I already did.”

Adam folds his hands and presses them to his lips. Of all the children his boyfriend could have picked to be his brother… “Fine, you don’t want to share? I’m open to negotiations.” 

Keith raises his eyebrows expectantly. 

“I’ll give you twenty bucks if you let me propose.”

“No.” 

“Fifty.”

“No.”

“But what if—”

“No.”

Adam groans. “Can’t we at least _talk_ about—”

“No.”

“Stop saying no!”

Keith just smiles, licking at his chocolate mustache. “Sorry. I already made my decision.” 

Adam wrinkles his nose, slouching in his seat. “Fine. Say no. See if I care. I’ll just propose to him anyway.” 

Keith throws his hands up. “Why did you _ask_ me then?” 

“Because I knew you wouldn’t approve!” 

“WHAT’S THE POINT OF ASKING IF YOU KNEW I WOULD SAY NO?”

“BECAUSE IT’S THE THOUGHT THAT COUNTS, DIPSHIT.”

_“YOU’RE_ A DIPSHIT!”

* * *

_“So…let me get this straight. He_ ate _the ring?”_

Adam sighs, running a hand over his face. “Yup. We’re in the emergency room now.” 

There’s a beat of silence on the other line before he hears Takashi chuckle. _“Wow. I don’t imagine this was how you were planning the proposal to go.”_

“Shut up, okay?” Adam whines. “I’m embarrassed enough as it is.”

_“Is Keith okay?”_

“Smug as hell, but relatively unharmed. I can’t guarantee he’ll stay that way, though, because I am _this_ close to strangling the little gremlin.” 

Shiro just laughs. _“Calm down. I’ll be there in half an hour, okay?”_

Adam squints. “You know this doesn’t count as a proposal, right? Once we get the ring back I’m trying again.”

_“Nope. Sorry, babe. We’re engaged now.”_

“But that’s not fair! I had a ton of cute stuff planned out like doves and flowers and at least four zebras.”

_“Too late. Already changing my Facebook status. Bye, honey!”_ Takashi hangs up, his laughter being the last thing Adam hears before the dial tone. 

Adam drags the phone down his cheek, staring up at the ceiling. There’s a giggle from beside him. 

Keith is sitting in one of the plastic waiting room chairs, swinging his feet. Adam glares at him. “You know I’m practically your stepfather, right? I have the power to ground you for the rest of your young life.” 

Keith just smiles, an evil glimmer in his iris. “Go ahead. Just wait until you see what I do at your wedding.”

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading! 
> 
> [Here is my Tumblr for anyone interested!](http://www.sohotthateveryonedied.tumblr.com)


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